About This Lesson
Use Plan a movie at home to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
家で映画はどう？
ee-EH deh EH-gah wah DOH-oh? How about a movie at home?
B
いいね。楽そう。
EE-neh. rah-KOO soh-oh. That sounds nice and easy.
A
短い映画を選ぼう。
tahn-KAH-ee EH-gah oh eh-rah-BOH-oh. Let's choose a short movie.
B
それなら、遅くなる前に終われるね。
soh-reh-NAH-rah, oh-soo-KOO nah-ROO mae-nee oh-wah-REH-roo neh. Then we can finish before it gets late.
A
私が果物を持っていけるよ。
wah-TAH-shee gah koo-dah-MOH-noh oh moht-teh ee-KEH-roo yo. I can bring some fruit.
B
軽いおやつがあるといいね。
kah-ROO-ee oh-YAH-tsoo gah ah-roo-toh EE-neh. A light snack would be nice.
A
私もお茶を持っていこうか？
wah-TAH-shee moh oh-CHAH oh moht-teh ee-KOH-oh kah? Should I bring tea too?
B
お茶もいいね。
oh-CHAH moh EE-neh. Tea would be nice too.Word by Word
家
「家」 means home in 「家で映画はどう？」. Here it names the place for the movie plan; it is commonly followed by 「で」 when an action happens at home. Use it when making or describing a plan based at home.
で
「で」 marks 「家」 as the place where the movie plan or activity takes place. It commonly follows a place word, as in 「家で」. Use it to say where an action or event happens.
映画
「映画」 means movie in 「家で映画はどう？」 and 「短い映画」. Here it is the activity being proposed and then selected. Use it when discussing a movie as an option or plan.
は
「は」 presents 「映画」 as the topic in 「映画はどう？」, making the suggestion “How about a movie?” It often follows the thing being proposed or discussed. Use this form when asking someone’s opinion about an option.
どう
In 「映画はどう？」, 「どう」 asks how the suggestion seems, so the expression means “How about a movie?” A reusable pattern is 「Xはどう？」 for proposing or checking an option with someone. Use it in a casual conversation when inviting a response.
いい
「いい」 means nice or good in 「いいね」 and 「お茶もいいね」. With 「ね」, it gives a positive response and invites shared agreement. Use 「いいね」 when reacting positively to a friend’s suggestion.
ね
「ね」 gives 「いいね」 a soft tone and seeks shared agreement or confirmation. It is useful after an evaluation when you want the listener to share the feeling. Use it in casual conversation when responding warmly to an idea.
楽
「楽」 describes the plan as easy or comfortable in 「楽そう」. With 「そう」, the whole expression means that the plan seems easy or low-effort. Use 「楽」 for an activity or plan that does not feel burdensome.
そう
In 「楽そう」, 「そう」 shows that something appears or seems a certain way based on the speaker’s impression. It follows the description in this expression. Use it when giving an impression rather than stating a firm fact.
短い
「短い」 means short in 「短い映画」. It directly describes 「映画」 before the noun. Use the pattern 「短い＋名詞」 when specifying that something has a short length or duration.
を
「を」 marks 「短い映画」 as the thing selected in 「短い映画を選ぼう」. It commonly follows the object of an action. Keep the selected or acted-on item before 「を」 in this kind of sentence.
選ぼう
「選ぼう」 proposes “let’s choose” in 「短い映画を選ぼう」. It is the volitional form related to the citation form 「選ぶ」. Use it when inviting someone to choose something together, with the object before 「を」.
それ
「それ」 refers back to the situation just mentioned in 「それなら」, especially the idea of choosing a short movie. It can point to something already discussed. Use it when responding to the other person’s preceding idea.
なら
In 「それなら」, 「なら」 treats the preceding situation as a condition and means “if so” or “then.” It is useful when drawing a conclusion or making a response based on what someone has just said. Use it to connect a previous idea with the next plan or result.
遅く
「遅く」 means late in 「遅くなる前に」. It is the form of 「遅い」 used before 「なる」 to describe becoming late. Use it in 「遅くなる」 when talking about time getting late.
なる
「なる」 means become or get in 「遅くなる」, meaning “get late.” It expresses a change into the condition described by 「遅く」. Use 「遅くなる」 when an activity or event may continue until it is late.
前
「前」 means before in 「遅くなる前」. It identifies the earlier point relative to an event. In the pattern 「X前に」, it places an action before the event expressed by 「X」.
に
In 「遅くなる前に」, 「に」 completes the time expression meaning “before it gets late.” It marks the point before which the action can happen. Use 「X前に」 when placing an action before an event or time.
終われる
「終われる」 means can finish in 「終われるね」, referring here to finishing the movie before it gets late. It is the potential form related to 「終わる」. Use it when talking about whether an activity can reach its end.
私
「私」 means I or me in 「私が果物を持っていけるよ」. Here it identifies the speaker as the person who can take the fruit. Use 「私が」 when highlighting who will perform an action or has the ability to do it.
が
「が」 marks 「私」 as the subject in 「私が果物を持っていけるよ」. It identifies the person responsible for the ability or action described. Use it when making clear who can do something.
果物
「果物」 means fruit in 「果物を持っていける」. It is the item being taken to the shared place. Keep the item before 「を」 when saying what someone can carry or take.
持っていける
「持っていける」 means can take or bring something along in 「果物を持っていけるよ」. Inside the construction, 「持って」 contributes the carrying action and links to 「いける」, which expresses the ability to go. Use the pattern 「物を持っていける」 when offering to take an item to a destination.
よ
「よ」 adds an assertive, informative tone to 「持っていけるよ」. Here the speaker reassures the other person that they can take the fruit. Use it when giving useful information or making a confident offer.
軽い
「軽い」 means light in 「軽いおやつ」, where it describes a snack that is not heavy. It comes directly before 「おやつ」 as a modifier. Use the pattern 「軽い＋名詞」 when describing a light option.
おやつ
「おやつ」 means snack in 「軽いおやつ」. Here it refers to light food for the movie. Use it when suggesting something small to eat between meals or during a casual activity.
ある
「ある」 says that the snack exists or is available in 「軽いおやつがあるといいね」. With an inanimate item as the subject, use 「Xがある」 to say that something is there or available. Here it presents the availability of a snack as something desirable.
と
In 「あるといいね」, 「と」 links the condition “if there is a snack” to the desired result “that would be nice.” It is useful after a condition in a pattern like 「あるといい」. Use it when saying that a particular condition would be desirable.
も
「も」 adds tea as another acceptable option in 「お茶もいいね」, meaning “tea is nice too.” It follows the added item. Use it when including one more choice alongside something already discussed.
お茶
「お茶」 means tea in 「お茶もいいね」. Here it is the drink being considered in addition to the snack or fruit. Use it when suggesting or offering tea in a casual plan.
持っていこう
「持っていこう」 means “shall I take or bring it?” in 「お茶を持っていこうか？」. Inside it, 「持って」 links the carrying action to 「いこう」, the volitional form of 「行く」; together they offer to take something along. Use it with the item before 「を」 when offering to bring a drink or other item.
か
「か」 marks 「持っていこうか？」 as a question. After 「持っていこう」, it turns the proposal into “Shall I bring it?” Use it when checking whether the listener wants the proposed action.
Grammar Points
～よう（意向形）
短い映画を選ぼう。
tahn-KAH-ee EH-gah oh eh-rah-BOH-oh.Let's choose a short movie.
The volitional form ～よう expresses the speaker's suggestion or intention: “Let's ...” or “I’ll ...”.
～ていける（可能形）
果物とお茶を持っていける。
koo-dah-MOH-noh toh oh-CHAH oh moht-teh ee-KEH-roo.I can bring fruit and tea.
The potential form ～ていける means that someone is able to take or bring something along.
Japanese Vocabulary
いいね
phrase
EE-neh
that sounds nice
それなら
conj
soh-reh-NAH-rah
then; in that case
どう
adv
DOH-oh
how about
映画
noun
EH-gah
movie
家
noun
ee-EH
home
果物
noun
koo-dah-MOH-noh
fruit
楽そう
adj
rah-KOO soh-oh
seems easy
持っていける
verb
moht-teh ee-KEH-roo
can bring
終われる
verb
oh-wah-REH-roo
can finish
選ぼう
verb
eh-rah-BOH-oh
let's choose
短い
adj
tahn-KAH-ee
short
遅くなる
verb
oh-soo-KOO nah-ROO
to get late
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
then; in that case
Show Answer
それならto get late
Show Answer
遅くなるcan bring
Show Answer
持っていけるcan finish